Triple The Love
by smile-like-santana
Summary: Regina and Emma have been together for four years and they've finally managed to conceive of magical babies. They first thought they'd be having twins but they got three for the price of two. Follow the two women as they deal with being new moms, keeping their family together and happy, and some rough patches in their lives. {SwanQueen, rating M for later chapters}
1. Chapter 1

Emma sat on the edge of Regina's hospital bed, holding her hand and stroking it with her thumb when finally, her lover's eyes fluttered open.

An adoring smile spread out over Emma's face. "Hey, there." She greeted her wife, who smiled back at her, obviously tired.

"Hmm, what happened?" She asked just before her eyes shot open. "The babies! Are they okay? Where are they? Wh-" She was cut off by Emma's finger on her lips.

"Calm down, they're alright…" She swallowed. "All three of them." She added and she watched Regina's face go through confusion, realization and then shock.

"We had three babies?" She asked for verification and Emma nodded.

"They're over there." She said as she looked over to the side, where three hospital cribs stood against the wall. Regina couldn't see them clearly, but she knew that they contained her babies. "It's a miracle that they're this well. After they were born, they were taken to the NICU because they were so small but in an hour, they grew to average sized babies. It must be the magic. True love and all that jazz…" She explained and a big smile spread over Regina's face.

"What did we have? Boys, girls, both?" She wondered, happily.

Emma grinned. "Three perfect little baby girls." She announced and Regina's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Emma couldn't resist and bent down to kiss Regina's plump lips. "Thank you." She told her wife who grinned.

"I want to see them." She said as she sat up. Emma's hands reached out to help her sit up.

"Sure. You need to walk a little but we'll just go over to that chair and I'll bring the babies to you one by one, alright?" She asked and Regina smiled with the biggest grin imaginable. God, it was good to see her wife this happy. It was so rare. She was happy a lot more than she used to be, that was for sure but she still had difficulties with showing it and also, while she was happy, it was never this much happiness at once.

As she sat up, Regina asked Emma for how long she was out and Emma responded that it was just an hour. She'd needed so much of her powers to vaginally deliver the babies, and magic so the babies would survive, that she needed all the energy from both her body and her magic, therefore she was now so extremely exhausted.

At the end of Emma's explanation, Regina sat down in the chair and Emma went to the crib that was closest to Regina, to pick up their oldest daughter, the one born five minutes before her oldest sister, and to bring her over to Regina, placing her in the woman's arms. "Here is our oldest… She looks so much like you." Emma told Regina, adoration in her voice.

It was true what she said. Their little girl had black hair, because it was still a little wet, that would probably become dark brown once it was fully dry. She had a cute, pretty small nose and her lips were shaped just like Regina's. They were plump and nicely formed.

Regina couldn't keep her eyes off her daughter. She lifted her finger to stroke her cheek. "Hey, sweetie. You're so gorgeous." She whispered and that is when the baby began to stir and move a tiny bit. She opened her eyes, just a little so that they were only slits and looked up at her mommy. The most beautiful, hazel-with-hints-of-green eyes looked up at Regina and the woman almost cried. Even though this baby looked so much like her, she was still undeniably Emma's too. The eyes proved it.

"How about we give her the first name we thought of when we found out we were having a baby?" Emma quietly interrupted Regina's intimate moment with their daughter.

"Sage?" Regina questioned, not looking up at Emma. "I'd like that. Sage. Do you like that name, little one?" She asked her and when the girl grabbed her finger, she took that as a yes.

Emma swallowed. She'd been thinking about what they'd use as a middle name and she bit her lip before she asked. "How about we use Cora as a middle name?" She suggested and a surprised Regina looked up.

"What? Are you serious?" She asked, not at all having expected that suggestion.

Emma nodded. "Yes, I am. She's her grandmother and well, you told me how she reacted when she got her heart back. She loved you, even if she didn't show it, and you loved her… And it's because of my mom that she's dead and… you know, I think she deserves to be honored through our daughter." She explained and Regina could cry of happiness – she didn't, but she could.

"Do you mean that? You don't mind her having the name of a woman who tried to kill you?" She wondered and Emma shook her head.

"No, I don't. She's your mother and she raised you to the best of her ability. She deserves this." She explained and Regina nodded.

"Sage Cora… I like that." She told her little girl and kissed her forehead. "I love you." She whispered so quietly, not even Emma could hear it. When she pulled back from Sage, she looked up at her wife. "I think it's time for me to meet the middle one, don't you think?" She asked and Emma chuckled.

"Yeah," She replied and then picked Sage out of Regina's arms. "Come here, baby girl." She spoke and kissed her cheek before she put her down in her crib again.

It's then that she picked up their second born daughter and carried her over to Regina. Regina grinned at the sight of this baby as well. The little girl was bald, except for the tiny, blonde hairs in her neck. Her nose was a bit bigger than that of her older sister and but her lips were a bit smaller than Sage's, though they still had the form of Regina's. Her eyes were already open, looking up at her mother and they were light brown. "Jane. Let's name her Jane." Regina muttered and Emma smiled.

"Are we going for names with four letters and ending in an e?" She questioned with a grin.

Regina chuckled. "What? You don't like my idea?" She wondered and Emma shrugged, kissing Regina's head.

"You are great at naming our children and I love the idea. Sage and Jane are pretty awesome names." She told her wife as she stroked Jane's hair.

"I just thought you looked like a Jane when I first met you. Like… G.I. Jane… I don't really know why." Regina admitted and Emma laughed quietly, trying not to startle the babies.

"Seriously? You are too cute." Emma said as she stroked Regina's cheek affectionately.

"I'm not cute." Regina protested weakly.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Sure, you're not." She said with a chuckle and a light shake of her head.

"Well, anyway, I guess, giving her Snow as a middle name is only appropriate." Regina decided and Emma frowned.

"Uhm, you can barely stand my mother…" Emma told her, a bit puzzled.

Regina huffed. "We've gotten better. I even hugged her last week." She defended herself. "Besides, we had that – kind of forced - twelve hour talk where we cleared out an awful lot, remember that? We're on quite good terms now. She was the first child I ever took care of, after all." She explained and Emma shrugged.

"Look, it's fine by me. I don't mind, I just figured that you did it just because I was okay with giving our daughter the middle name Cora." Emma told her.

"No, I really like the sound of Jane Snow." She said and Emma smiled. Regina once again bent down and kissed her daughter's brow. "I love you as well, don't worry." She murmured with a small smile gracing her lips. "Now, where is our youngest?" She announced after she pulled back.

Emma grinned and stood up, picking her daughter up and kissing her brow as well before she placed her in the crib. "Here she is… the one the doctor missed on the ultrasound. She was hidden behind Sage and Jane." Emma said as she picked their youngest up. "I took a picture of how tiny she actually was at birth." Emma said.

Regina smiled and then she immediately saw it: this girl was the perfect blend of both of them. While their other children looked mainly like one parent, this one had features of both of them equally.

The girl's hair was light brown; lighter than Regina's but darker than Emma's, her lips were just like Emma's and her eyes were dark brown with hazel streaks. Her skin was slightly darker than that of her sisters, who had an almost snow white skin.

"Hey there, tiny." Regina cooed as she let the baby grab her finger. "You're so precious…" She whispered, in awe of her daughter and also thinking about the fact that she just plopped out three girls – three!

"All she needs now is a name." Emma told Regina who smiled.

"Hmm, four letters, ending in E. There's Rose, Kate, Hope, Prue…" Regina started but was halted by Emma.

"Kate. Kate sounds good, doesn't it? Jane, Sage and Kate…" Emma tried them out and Regina smiled and nodded.

"Kate… I like it." Regina said. "What about Ruth as a middle name, after your father's mother? She made it possible for you to even be conceived, so without her, Sage, Jane and Kate wouldn't even be here." She told Emma who grinned.

"That sounds perfect…" She told Regina. Emma couldn't believe it. She and Regina finally had conceived of babies of their own. Of course, Henry was their son and they couldn't love him more if they tried but now that he was 16, he wasn't a baby anymore and also, he wasn't made out of their love, even though he played a big part in them even having a love for each other. If it wasn't for him, she and Regina would have never even met.

"She really is a perfect blend of us both, isn't she?" Regina asked and Emma smiled.

"She really is… but it's also great that Sage looks so much like you." Emma said.

"And Jane like you. It's kind of crazy, huh? The Savior and the Evil Queen having children together…" Regina said and Emma silenced her with a kiss.

"We're so much more than that. We're not the same people that we were all those years ago. You're not the Evil Queen anymore, Regina. You're nothing but my wife, now. My highly flammable, snobby, protective and very, very hot wife." Emma told Regina with a cheeky grin and Regina rolled her eyes.

"Come on, go get Kate in her crib and then help me take a shower, I feel disgusting and sticky." Regina told Emma.

"Are you sure you don't want to rest a little first?" Emma tried but Regina was having none of it.

"No, I want to take a shower now. I know that your parents and Henry are going to be standing in here tonight and I don't want them seeing me like this." She resisted and Emma sighed.

"Fine, but I'm helping you." She told Regina.

"I gave birth, I'm not an invalid: I can take a shower by myself." Regina said and Emma had to suppress a sigh. This woman was so tiresome sometimes. She knew she'd have to try another tactic.

"Well, maybe you can but are you really saying you don't want my hands all over you?" Emma asked and Regina glared at her.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm holding a newborn, Emma. That comment is highly inappropriate." Regina shot back and Emma sighed.

"I'm pretty sure she can't understand what we're saying yet…" Emma said, a little irritated. "Look, it's either me or a nurse, because every time you get up, I was told to call a nurse so you can choose now: it's me or some stranger." Emma told Regina who almost pouted at that, she knew she'd lost this little battle.

"Fine." She said and Emma had to suppress the urge to grin triumphantically.

"You know that I'm actually being really nice, right? Normally, you have to wait eight hours and you have to pee before you can shower, that's what the nurse told me." Emma explained and Regina rolled her eyes.

"Well, that I find a stupid policy." She said.

"And because I do too, I'll go place Kate back into her crib and then I can help you shower." Emma said and Regina gave her daughter a kiss, telling her she loved her before she let Emma take Kate to her crib.

* * *

The shower had been like a gift from God to Regina. Emma had cleaned her up with unscented soap and washed her oily hair and yes, Regina was tired as hell now, looking quite pale but she was content to look and smell nice now. She'd felt like a homeless person before

She was really glad that Emma didn't seem bothered by the fact that she had stretch marks now, or the fact that her stomach looked like a big blub of fat. She was gentle, sweet and careful. She had kissed her softly and made her feel loved. It wasn't anything sexual – neither one of them felt really sexy or horny at all – but it was intimate and loving and it reassured Regina a little. She had been scared that Emma would hate how she looked after the pregnancy, but apparently, she still loved her.

Emma was now combing her hair and when she was finished, she kissed Regina's forehead. "All done." She said and Regina smiled up at her wife, tiredly. "Come on, get some rest, babe." Emma said and Regina nodded.

"Join me? You know I don't sleep well without you." Regina told her and Emma smiled as she got in besides Regina after she'd kicked off her shoes. "You could use a shower as well…" She muttered and Emma gave her a slight push against her shoulder, which made Regina chuckle.

"Bitch." Emma muttered and Regina just smiled as she closed her eyes. "You're lucky I love you." Emma added.

Regina grabbed Emma's hand lightly and sighed. "I love you too." She told her.

* * *

Regina was awakened by Emma's voice. "Regina, baby, wake up…" She heard and groaned.

"Five more minutes." Regina murmured and Emma smiled.

"You have to wake up soon, baby. It's been two and a half hours since they were born and they have to start eating, the nurse told me." Emma told Regina who sat up slowly. "She also said that some parents of triplets breastfeed two of the babies and bottle feed the third one, and then rotating every feed." She explained as she placed Jane in Regina's arms, before she picked up a crying Kate as well.

"Sounds good to me." Regina muttered, sleepily as she unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall down so her breasts were exposed. As she helped Jane find her nipple, Emma brought over Kate who had a little more difficulty tracking down her food but eventually, with the help of Mama Emma, found it.

That is when Emma started making Sage's bottle. Luckily, the hospital had some formula but she knew that tonight, she'd go out to buy the best brand she could find so they didn't have to use this anymore. Not that it wasn't good, but Emma just wanted her and Regina to decide what their babies ate.

Sage was still whimpering and crying while Emma made the bottle and it was frustrating because she hadn't done it before and she had no idea whether or not she was doing it right. "I need help." She muttered and went back to Regina's bed where she rung for a nurse by pressing the red button.

"Why did you call a nurse?" Regina questioned, confused as she tried to keep the babies from falling asleep while eating.

"Because I've never done this before and I'm probably screwing it up." Emma said and that was when the nurse entered.

"Miss Mills, you called me…" The woman said and Emma jumped in.

"I called, actually. I'm trying to make Sage's bottle but I don't think I'm doing it right." She explained and the nurse smiled.

"Sage. Such a lovely name. Now, why don't you go pick up your daughter and then follow me. I'll show you." The nurse said.

Emma was glad that they had a nurse who was so nice and didn't make her feel stupid when she asked questions with obvious answers. She was also interested in how the babies and Regina were doing, and complimented them on the name choices.

After the bottle was done, Emma sat down in the chair and began to feed a now very fussy and very hungry Sage who immediately began to suck like her life depended on it. Emma smiled down adoringly at her daughter and then looked up at her wife, who had a loving gaze directed towards Jane before she looked at Kate with an equal amount of love as the babies ate. Jane stopped first, after fifteen minutes and didn't want any more when Regina tried, with one arm, to get her back to her nipple. "Well, I guess you're done then… Let's just wait for your sister over there and then we can try to get you to burp." She said, her voice was soft and sweet but not really cooing, like a lot of parents do with their children. She was sure Snow would make up for that later, though.

It took a few more minutes before Kate was finished as well and Regina looked down at her two girls, deciding to lay Kate on her back, between her legs, so she had two hands free to burp Jane. Emma smiled at how much of a natural Regina was… or maybe it wasn't that she was a natural, maybe it was because she had to raise Henry on her own for all those years. The thought made Emma a little sad. It must have been hard and lonesome. Sharing these precious moments was just perfect for Emma and not being able to do that, with anyone seemed hard.

It didn't take long for Jane to burp and Regina laid the baby next to her sister before she took Kate and did the same thing, it took a little longer but finally, she burped.

Sage was also done with her bottle and Emma struggled to get the girl in the right position, because she was just so scared to break her. She was so tiny and vulnerable. "She won't break, baby. You can move her…" Regina told her as she buttoned her shirt back up. Emma smiled at Regina and then finally managed to move the girl.

She bounced her up a down a little, making sure that she had placed a cloth on her shoulder like she'd seen Regina do and then her daughter let out a tiny sound and a little bit of milk. Gross, Emma decided. She moved her daughter back down into her arms and removed the cloth and placed it on the table after folding it close. "Let's go say hi to your sisters; you haven't been next to them in a little while." She told her daughter, her voice a little more coo-y than her wife's.

She laid her down between Regina's legs too, moving the to be more in between Regina's ankles so they actually fit all next to each other. Emma smiled and sat down next to Regina and held her hand as they watched their daughters. They didn't really interact with one another but hey, they were touching again. When the girls started to fall asleep, Emma and now also Regina placed the girls back in their cribs and then decided to sleep some more. They were exhausted and in about an hour, Henry, Snow and Charming would be visiting and that would cost them a lot of energy as well. With one last kiss, the women fell asleep again.

* * *

**_Author Notes:_** Hello, guys! This is my first Swan Queen story and I hope I did well. If you have any tips or comments, please tell me in a respectful manner. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**TRIPLE THE LOVE**

_Chapter Two__: Family Visit_

Emma and Regina were awakened by a knock on the door and then the door opening slowly. Emma sat up and tried to make her hair look half decent while their son, his grandparents and Emma's siblings entered.

Mary Margaret and David had conceived of two children since they managed to get back from Neverland. Emma's sister, Etta was five years old. Her birthday had been three days ago and it had been a princess themed party, which had annoyed Regina – who of course had to be there – to no end. All the pink and carton tiaras (one of which had been on her head) were not even close to realistic, but the little girl loved Disney movies and wanted to be a princess, especially since Emma had promised her that she could have the throne and Emma would gladly take a step back. Of course she'd told the girl that in less formal words.

Etta was kind of crazy about Regina, or 'Auntie Regie' as she called her. That is why when she entered, she immediately went to the hospital bed Regina was laying on and climbed in hugging her aunt and then sitting next to her, immediately asking why her stomach was still bloated and if there was another baby coming. Snow wanted to comment on it but Regina waved her hand at her, signing that she was okay with what the girl said, and went on to explain to the little girl that that was not the case, while Henry, Snow and David hugged Emma and congratulated her, her little brother hugging her legs as well.

Emma's two and half year old brother, Ezra, was Snow and Charming's only son. With his birth, Charming's wish to have a son finally came true. He loved his two daughters and couldn't be more proud of them, but a son had always been a dream of his. Ezra smiled at Emma, who was his hero and Emma smiled back at him. "Hey, Ezra." Emma greeted him as she hugged him back.

"Hi, Emma!" He said, loudly. Again.

"Shh, sweetie, the babies are sleeping." Emma told him and Ezra's eyes widened as he pressed his finger to his lips, indicating that he was going to be silent.

"Uhm, Emma…" Snow began. "Why are there three cribs?" She questioned as she walked further into the room.

"Oh, right, that's another thing: Regina popped out three babies, mom." Emma said with a small smile tugging at her lips. She had gotten more used to calling her parents mom and dad over the years.

"I did not 'pop them out', Emma." Regina glared at Emma, finding her wife's choice of words way too blunt. It hadn't been just a simple pop, it was hard work! Emma grinned at Regina and winked at her, as a silent apology. Henry, who had gone over to his other mom to hug her too, rubbed her arm to calm her down.

"Wait, what? Three? You guys were just having twins!" David exclaimed.

"Well, Kate decided to hide behind her sisters." Regina told David, affection for her daughter clear in her voice.

Henry had walked over to the cribs, silently and was now looking down at his sisters. "They're so different." Henry told his moms. "They don't look alike at all."

Emma smiled as she walked over to her son, her brother in tow and placed her hand on his shoulder, as the rest of the family, minus Etta joined them at the cribs. "Their names are Sage, Jane and Kate." She said and Snow began to tear up.

"They are so gorgeous… Jane looks just like you when you were born." Snow told Emma, as she placed her hand on her daughter's back. "Can we hold them?" She questioned.

"Sure." Emma said. "David and Henry, you guys wanna hold one of them as well?" She wondered and David nodded, while Henry looked a little doubtful.

"I've never really held a baby." He admitted and Emma smiled at him.

"It's not that hard, Emma will show you." They heard Regina say, who was still in the company of a very talkative Etta.

A few minutes later, Snow, David and Henry were each holding a baby and cooing like crazy people, making Regina roll her eyes. Emma smiled at her wife and went to sit next to her, holding her hand. "Let them be, they like to coo at babies. Nothing wrong with that." She said and Regina huffed. Emma leaned over and kissed her wife's forehead. Normally they didn't really show much affection around other people, especially around Emma's parents because they still weren't 100% okay with their relationship, it was still really foreign to them that their daughter was now married to the evil queen – but today, the happy couple couldn't care less.

"Oh, and Mom, Jane's middle name is Snow. Regina suggested it." Emma told Snow who looked up with a confused look on her face.

Regina glared at her wife. Seriously, did she have to say that she had suggested it? Sure, she and Snow were on better terms but that didn't mean she wanted to seem too friendly.

"Really, Regina?" She asked, on the verge of tears again.

Regina sighed. "Yes, but it was after Emma gave Sage the middle name Cora. I had to do something in return, so… yes, I decided that Snow would go great with the first name Jane."

"What's Kate's middle name?" Henry wondered and Emma smiled.

"Ruth." She answered and saw Charming's face light up, as he gazed down at the baby in his arms.

"That's great." David said. "Thank you." He added.

Snow looked up. "Etta, sweetheart, will you go get those bags? Where the presents for the babies are in?" She asked and Etta nodded as she got off the bed, took the bags and handed them over to her sister and her Aunt.

"Thanks." Emma said and looked inside.

"We thought you were just having twins, we'll bring something over for the third baby as well." Snow told them.

Inside the bag there were two pacifiers, two little outfits (a purple and a blue dress with matching shoes) and two teddy bears.

In the bag Regina was holding, there were drawings from Etta and Ezra. Too many to count really. Regina smiled from ear to ear.

"And I got five new Wii games." Henry announced with a big grin. From his moms he'd gotten money that paid for half of his car, the half he still needed to buy the car he wanted.

"Mom, you're spoiling him." Emma told her mother with a small smile and Snow shrugged.

"We got you presents with every new sibling you got, he gets the same treatment." Mary Margaret said.

"You got Henry gifts, not me!" She exclaimed and heard her wife chuckle. "I just got flowers, which Regina enjoys more than I do."

"Well, mom, our happiness should be yours…" Henry told her and Emma shrugged.

"Whatever, still not fair." Emma huffed and Regina stroked her back with a chuckle. Her wife was so cute sometimes.

That was the time when Sage decided to start fussing and then eventually crying. Henry looked completely lost. "I didn't do anything, I swear!" He said and Emma smiled.

"She's a baby. She cries. You didn't do anything wrong. Let me handle it." She said and walked over to take Sage out of Henry's hands and sighed. "Dirty diaper." She decided and went over to the changing table. She was glad that she had experience with that, because of her siblings. She really didn't want to call for help again.

The visit was over after another twenty minutes. It had gone smoothly and Henry had promised to come visit them alone tomorrow and then the day after tomorrow, they'd all go home together.

The rest of the days in the hospital were filled with nurses, check-ups and an annoyed Regina who just wanted to go home.

When the day was finally there that they could leave, Regina pretty much ran out of the hospital. Well, not exactly: she ordered Emma to run and push the wheelchair, which of course, Emma didn't. Not only because Jane was in Regina's lap but Henry was pushing the other two babies in the twin stroller, which they were going to sell soon and then buy a triplet stroller.

Regina had been tired when they arrived home but had only been able to sleep for half an hour before the babies had to be fed. Henry wanted to help and Emma had allowed him to bottle feed a baby as she went to start dinner, because yes, over the years Emma had learned to make food. Simple and nothing fancy but it was edible.

Later that evening, after the babies had been fed and changed again, the couple laid in bed. Regina's head was on Emma's chest and she smiled down at her wife.

"How are you feeling?" Emma wondered.

"Sore, fat and tired." Regina grumbled and Emma sighed as she kissed Regina's forehead.

"You're probably sore and tired, but you're not fat. I looked exactly like you after I gave birth to Henry. I still looked pregnant, for a couple of days actually." She told Regina. "But you're not unattractive. I still think you're gorgeous." She explained.

Regina smiled weakly before she pecked Emma's lips. "Goodnight, Emma." She said as she closed her eyes. Emma frowned, she knew something was wrong.

"Babe, what's wrong?" She asked as she let her fingers glide through Regina's dark hair, loving the soft feeling.

Regina sighed. "Emma, I'm tired. Let's talk in the morning, alright?" She tried and Emma sighed.

"Alright, if you give me a kiss first." Emma said and when Regina turned her head to kiss her collar bone, added. "A proper one."

Regina rolled her eyes and sat up, pressing her lips against Emma's for a few seconds, but then she felt Emma's hand in her hair, keeping her head in place and deepening the kiss a little before she pulled back slightly. "I love you, babe. Don't doubt that, okay?" She asked and Regina smiled softly.

"I don't." She said as she pecked Emma's lips again, touched by her words. "Go to sleep now, we're both exhausted." She said and Emma agreed.

Emma was indeed exhausted and five minutes later, she was snoring lightly. Regina took a deep breath. She had no reason to think Emma didn't find her attractive anymore. Emma did everything to assure her that she was beautiful, that she was the only woman who mattered to her, she had even looked at her with love and affection when she'd washed her right after the girls were born, but still… when Regina looked in the mirror today, she only saw this blob of fat on her stomach, her tired eyes, her disheveled appearance and she couldn't even begin to phantom anyone being attracted to her.

Of course she knew she'd just given birth – to three kids none the less – and that it was impossible for her to look like her old self again so soon, but that didn't mean she had to like it or that she thought that she was any more beautiful.

In the morning, Regina felt only a little more rested than she had the night before. That was probably because of the girls' crying through the night. They had been fed at 11PM, right before Regina and Emma went to bed and had woken up at 2AM, crying their tiny little heads off. Emma told Regina not to get up, she'd get Sage and Jane and bring them to Regina before she'd go downstairs with Kate and make her bottle, which she'd feed her upstairs next to Regina so she didn't have to be alone. Two of the girls woke up once again at 4AM, because Jane had a dirty diaper and her crying had woken up Sage - not Kate - who she then had to calm down while trying to change the other baby: impossible. Luckily, Henry had come to the rescue, calming down his sister. He was really proving to be an amazing big brother. He had put together a third crib for his surprise sister and had painted her name above her bed as well, so she'd have the same as her sisters. He helped Emma and Regina whenever he could and he was really careful, sweet and protective around his sisters. It was beautiful to watch.

An hour later, the triplets had started crying again, this time to be fed once more. This happened again at 8AM, which is when Regina and Emma decided to get out of bed and start their day. Emma had decided to stay home with Regina and the newborns for six weeks before she'd return to work part time until the babies were six months old. Then she'd start full time again.

Sure, that'd mean that they wouldn't have a lot of income for the first few months but it wasn't as if they didn't have savings. The first six weeks Emma stayed home would be fully paid but the part time months, would only generate half the money she'd normally earn, but again, it was no problem.

Regina would stay at home for five months before returning to work as mayor. When she returned, the babies would be going to daycare for most of the week and one day of the week they'd go to Snow, who'd look after them. Since the birth of Ezra, she decided to work only four days out of the week so she could spend time with her children. When the girls would go over there, both of the children would be at school, since Ezra would be starting preschool, and then Snow could focus on the girls entirely.

When Emma entered the kitchen, Regina was making eggs and bacon for their family. It was Sunday and normally the breakfast was larger than this but Regina was too exhausted to make anything more. If her wife and son wanted something fancier, they'd have to make it on their own.

Seeing that her wife needed a little cheering up, she walked over to Regina and wrapped her arms around Regina's waist. "Hello, sunshine." She greeted her as she kissed her neck.

Regina tensed up a little at the contact. Emma was touching her stomach and she didn't like that at all. "Morning." She said curtly, squirming to get out of Emma's grip.

Emma was hurt but she sensed that something was behind Regina's behavior. She placed her hand on Regina's arm and made her turn a little to face her. "Stop thinking that I don't find you gorgeous." She ordered quietly before continuing: "Look, I'm not trying to have sex with you. Your body isn't ready for that and your mind isn't either. I just… don't want you to feel like I don't think you're just as attractive – if not more – now that you've given birth to our babies. Stop pulling away from me, please." Emma said softly and lifted one hand to Regina's cheek, moving her thumb back and forth over the soft cheek of her wife.

Regina looked down and sighed, turning off the stove so the food wouldn't burn. "I know, rationally, that you're not disgusted by me. It's not you, it's… it's me. I think I look… well, awful, to be honest and I can't see anyone thinking I'm beautiful. Not when I look like this."

Emma smiled softly, in understanding. "I get it, okay? I have been in your position but… it'll get better. I'm sure it will. Just… we don't have to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. If it'll make you feel better, I'll stop touching your stomach, at least for now… but you should give me extra kisses to make up for it though." She said with a soft smile and Regina snorted.

"Alright, then. I guess I can live with that." She gave in and kissed Emma three times in a row; soft, sweet pecks on her lips. "I do love you." She murmured honestly as their foreheads rested together.

Emma nodded at her. "I know you do. I love you, too." She told her wife before she hugged her, just wanting to make her feel better. "So much." She added and then nuzzled her wife's cheek before she took a step back. "So, breakfast ready?"

Regina smiled. "Yeah, you go wake up Henry."

"Babe, it's 8PM, he's a teenager. Let him sleep." She tried.

Regina's face scrunched up in that cute adorable way and she sighed. "Fine, but at half past nine, you're going to go wake him up." She demanded and Emma sighed.

"Fine." She agreed, not looking forward to it. Henry was always so grumpy in the morning.

Things had been going well this past month. The girls were growing and gaining weight as they were supposed to, no disasters had happened and Christmas was coming. Just one more week and the family party would take place, and two days after that, the town would have a big Christmas celebration in the gym of the high school for the whole town. It was something Emma and secretly, Regina had been looking forward to for quite some time now. Emma loved Christmas.

Regina woke up and was a bit disappointed when she didn't find Emma by her side when she slid her hand over her wife's pillow. But what she did find was a letter. She smiled, Emma must have left a note because she went to the store or was with the babies, but that is when she frowned. Emma left notes, not letters in envelopes. Scared that Emma might have left or that something terrible had happened, she sat up and tore open the paper. She gasped. That was not Emma's scribbly handwriting, that was her mother's handwriting.

_Dear Regina,_

_You are three days old as I write this letter. To write this, I've temporarily put back my heart. I want this letter to really come from me. I know that you probably don't understand why I had to take it out but I'll explain it in a second._

_ I know that now that you're reading this, you're probably much older than just three days. This letter will come to you sometime after you've given birth to your first child. I didn't know what other event in your life would cause a big enough wave in your timeline so that I could send this letter to you. _

_First of all, congratulations with your child. I'm so very happy for you. I hope that the father of your child treats you kindly and that your child will bring you happiness._

_But that is not why I write this letter. This letter is to make sure you know a piece of information because I – without my heart – will never tell you and your father wouldn't either. He can't tell you, frankly._

_And with 'your father' I do not mean my husband, Prince Henry, who has claimed you as his, as I wanted. Your father is Rumplestiltskin. A man I was – and still am – in love with. We only shared one night, in which I promised to bear his child but then, later, I told him no child of mine would ever be his. I was already pregnant with you when I married Prince Henry, and made him believe that you were his. I took out my heart to be able to marry Prince Henry and deny Rumple to be your father, as he should be. I simply can't because I don't want you to live as a commoner, as I had to. I don't ever want you to feel like you are anyone's subject. I want you to live as a glorious queen. That is why I did this: to ensure the future of my child. _

_Rumple could never give you such a life. As he told me, he can only ever give anyone isolation and darkness… love too, but sometimes, that simply isn't enough._

_Prince Henry will never know, because even if he is still alive when you receive this letter, I know you would never hurt him by telling him this. At least I hope you won't. He doesn't deserve that. _

_ Rumple doesn't know either. I shall leave it up to you whether you tell him or not. _

_I just really wanted you to know that he is your father, because now, with my heart, I do feel guilty that you'd never know. Everyone has the right to know where they're from._

_One last thing before I end this letter: even if I don't show it, I do love you, my little Princess. I love you more than anyone._

_Farewell my Regina,_

_Your mother, Cora Mills_

The letter fell onto the covers and Regina stared at the wall.

'Your father is Rumplestiltskin, Your father is Rumplestiltskin, Your father is Rumplestiltskin, Your father is Rumplestiltskin, Your father is Rumplestiltskin, Your father is Rumplestiltskin'

**Author Notes: I know that you had to wait kind of long but I have exams and so I have to study. But this chapter is quite long so I hope it pleased you. Please review, I always love hearing your thoughts! Thanks for sticking with me!**


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